Door construction



y 1, 1968 D. w. DAY 3,383,798

DOOR CONSTRUCT .T ON

Filed March 18, 1966 5 Sheet -Sheet l INVENTOR.

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DOOR CONSTRUCT ION Filed March 18, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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y 6 D. w. DAY 3,383,798

DOOR CONSTRUCT ION Filed March 18, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet :3

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,383,798 DOOR CONSTRUCTION Douglas W. Day, Livonia, Mich, assignor to Evans Products ompany, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 535,556 5 Claims. (Cl. 49-219) ABSTRAET 0F THE DISCLOSURE A railway plug door arrangement embodying a pivoted link structure for facilitating substantial transverse movement of the plug door from within the doorway opening to a position spaced a considerable lateral distance beyond the side of the car for subsequent sliding movement upon a track supported at the side of the car. The link structure comprises a first link that is pivoted at one of its ends on a guide roller and is pivotally connected at its other end to a second link. The other end of this second link is pivotally connected to the door structure by means of a vertically extending operating rod.

This invention relates to a door construction and more particularly to an improved structure for supporting a plug door for movement with respect to a doorway open 1ng.

In many applications a door is used to fill a doorway and both the door and the wall forming the doorway opening have substantial thickness. Thick doors and walls of this type are frequently employed for sealing refrigerated areas, such as in railway refrigerated cars. To maintain effective insulation, the edges of the door should be substantially parallel to the adjacent wall surfaces that define the doorway opening. Thus, the door must be moved in a substantially parallel plane with respect to these surfaces when it is being opened and closed.

Once the door has been moved laterally from within the doorway opening, it may be moved in any other direction so as to provide access to the storage area. In railway cars, it is common practice to support such doors upon tracks positioned adjacent the sidewall so that the door may be slid along the side of the car after it has been moved from within the doorway opening. The door first must be moved in a lateral direction with respect to the opening a distance at least equal to its thickness before it can be slid along the tracks. With the supporting structures heretofore used, the tracks had to be positioned a considerable distance outwardly from the sidewalls to accommodate the necessary degree of lateral movement. This track positioning increased the overall width of the car and exposed the tracks to damage.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved plug door assembly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a supporting structure for a door that permits the door to be moved laterally a considerable distance without requiring projecting supporting structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved supporting structure for a door.

A plug door for a railway car or the like embodying this invention is supported for movement relative to a doorway opening of the car upon a track that is fixed adjacent a side Wall that defines the doorway opening. The track is fixed outwardly of the doorway opening and guide means are slidably supported upon the track for movement therealong. Supporting means interconnect the guide means with the door for moving the door from the substantially flush position within the doorway opening to a displaced position spaced outwardly therefrom. The displaced position lies a greater distance in a direcice ton normal to the doorway opening from the track than the distance between the doorway opening and the track.

As a further feature of the invention defined in the immediately preceding paragraph, the door is supported upon the track by at least one link. It is preferable to have the link extend substantially perpendicularly to the door when the door is in its closed position. In this position the link tends to prevent accidental opening of the door. The desired degree of movement is provided by supporting the door upon the track by means of first and second links. The links are pivotally connected to each other and one of the links is connected to the door. This link is in a perpendicular relation to the door when it is closed. The other link is pivotally connected to the guide member which, as has been noted, is supported upon the track.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a railway refrigerator car embodying this invention;

FIGURES 2 through 6 are reduced scale cross-sectional views taken generally along the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1 and show the door in various positions with respect to the side wall of the railway car;

FIGURES 7 through 10 are enlarged top plan views of the supporting structure for the door showing its relative positions during opening movement of the door;

FIGURES 12 through 14 are enlarged views, in part similar to FIGURES 7 through 11, showing the positions of the supporting structure during closing movement of the door; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the supporting structure shown.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, a railway refrigerator car embodying this invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11. It is to be understood that, although this invention as disclosed is being used in conjunction with a raiiway car, it is susceptible of other uses. The railway car 11 is comprised of a side wall 12 defining a doorway opening 13 that is closed by a plug door assembly 14 of substantial thickness in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the opening 13.

Carried on the outer surface of the door 14 adjacent its upper end are a pair of horizontally disposed locking pin shafts l5 and 16 having locking pins 17 and 13 formed at their respective ends which are adapted to engage apertures formed in any suitable portion of the side wall structure 12 for locking the door 14 in its closed position. Similar lower horizontal locking pin shafts 1% and 21 are provided at the lower edge of the door 14. The locking pin shafts 15, 16, 19 and 21 are supported for reciprocation upon the door assembly 14 in any suitable manner and their inner ends are pivotally connected to links 22, 23, 23 and 25, respectively. The links 22 and 23 are pivotally connected to each other and to the upper end of an operating rod 26. The inner ends of the links 24 and 25 are pivotally connected to each other and to a strap 27 that is affixed to the lower end of the operating rod 26. The lower end of the strap 27 has a locking pin portion 28 that is adapted to be received in any suitable locking recess of the side wall structure 12 for retaining the door 14 in its closed position. An operating handle assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 29, is provided for reciprocating the locking pin shafts 15, 16, 19 and 21 and the locking pin portion 23 for engagement and disengagement of the respecting locking members.

The door 14 is supported for movement by means of a lower track 31 and an upper guide formed by a suitable sheet metal member 32. The lower track 31 and guide member 32 are positioned outwardly of the side wall 12 and fixed thereto in any suitable manner. Slidably supported upon the lower track 31 are a pair of sliding guide members 33 and 34. Rollers 35 and 36 are constrained for sliding movement by the guide member 32.

Linkage systems, indicated generally by the reference numerals, 37, 38, 39 and 41 interconnect each of the respective guide assemblies and rollers 33, 3+, 35 and 36 with the door assembly 14 for movement of the door between its open and closed positions. Since each of the linkage assemblies 37, 38, 39 and 41 is of substantially the same construction, only one will be described in detail by particular reference to FIGURE 15 wherein the assembly 37 is shown. 7,

The linkage assembly 37 includes a first link 41 having a circular journal portion 42 formed at one end thereof that is pivotally connected to the guide member 33 by means of a pivot pin 43. The outer end of the link 41 is provided with a forked journal portion 44 that receives a journal portion 45 of a second link 46. The journal portions 44 and 45 are pivotally connected together by means of a pivot pin 47 that is staked to the journal portion 44 in any suitable manner. The outer end of the link 46 is provided with a journal portion 48 that is rigidly affixed to the lower end of an operating rod 49. The operating rod 49 is journaled upon the door 14 by means of, a pair of strap assemblies 51 and 52.

The upper end of the operating rod 4% is rigidly affixed to the link of the linkage assembly 3% that corresponds to the link 46 of the linkage assembly 37. In a like manner, the link of the linkage assembly 39 corresponding to the link 41 is pivotally connected to the roller 36.

The lock pin shafts 1? and 15 have projecting pin por ans S3 and 54 that are pivotally received within links 55 and 56, respectively. The links 55 and 56 carry pin portions 57 and 58 that are journaled in the outer ends of brackets 59 and 61 that are fixed to the operating rod 49. The links 55 and 56 transmit motion between the locking pin shafts 1% and 15 and the operating rod 49 so that the operating rod 49 will be rotated when the locking pin shafts 19 and 15 are reciprocate .1 through operation of the handle assembly 29.

In a like manner, an operating rod 62 is journaled upon the door assembly 14 and is connected by means of the linkage assemblies 38 and 41 to the guide member 34 and roller 36, respectively. The operating rod 62 is also connectcd by means of linkage mechanisms to the lock pin shafts 16 and 21 so that it will be rotated when the lock pin shafts are reciprocated by the operating handle assembly 29.

It will be noted from FIGURES 2 through 6 that the door 14 and side wall 12 have considerable thickness in the plane perpendicular to the plane defined by the opening 13. The side surfaces of the door 14 are also parallel and closely spaced from the adjacent surfaces of the side wall 12 that define the doorway opening 13 to preclude leakage in this area. In practice, a seal is provided in this area to further insulate the interior of the railway car 11. To open the door 14, it is, therefore, necessary to move it substantially perpendicularly with respect to the doorway opening 13 a sulficient distance outwardly from the door 12 so that it may be then slid on the track 31 and guide member 32 to provide access to the interior of the car 11 through the doorway opening 13.

The linkage assemblies 37, 38, 39 and 41 permit the door 14 to be displaced a distance outwardly of the track 31 and guide member 32 that is greater than the distance between the track 1 or guide member 32 and the adjacent side wall 12. The track 31 and guide member 32, thus may be positioned relatively close to the side wall 12 to maintain a narrow width for the railway car and to protect them from damage.

Referring first to FIGURE 7 which is typical of the linkage assemblies, it will be noted that the link 46 has a lug 67 that engages a respective lug 63 of the link 41 when the door 24 is in its closed position. The link 46 is displaced in a slightly ovcrcenter position from the perpendic ar with respect to the door 14 when the door 14 is closed. This ovcrccnter relationship insures that any lat eral force exerted on the inner surface of the door 14 will open it.

To open the door 14, the operating handle assembly 29 is operated to release the locking pin shafts 15, 16, 19 and .23. and the locking pin portion 23. Continued motion of the operating handle 29 will cause the operating rods 4% and 62 to be rotated through their interconnection with the horizontal locking pins 15, 16, 19 and 21 w..ich has previously been described. The rotation of the operating rod 49 creates a force upon the link 46 which causes it to rotate in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 47 (FIGS. 3 and 8). During this rotation, the guide assemblies 33 and 34 slide along the track 31 and the rollers 35 and 36 will slide along the guide member 32 so that the door 14 moves perpendicularly out of the doorway opening 13. Upon continued movement, a lug 69 formed on the link 46 contacts a corresponding lug 71 formed on the link 41 (FIG. 9). When this contact occurs, the links 46 and 41 Will rotate in unison in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 43 (FIGS. 5 and 10). This rotation will continue until the door 14 is displaced a distance outwardly from the track 31 that is substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the links 41 and 46 (FIGS. 6 and 11). When the door 14 is in this position, it will be displaced substantially outwardly from the Side wall 12 and may then be slid along the track 31 and guide rail 32 to either side of the doorway opening 13 to permit access through the railway car.

When it is desired to close the door 14, it is again slid along the track 31 and guide member 32 until it registers with the doorway opening 13. The link 46 is then rotated about the pivot pin 47 in a counterclockwise direction with the lugs 69 and 71 moving away from each other (FIG. 12). This rotation is continued until the lugs 67 and 68 are brought into engagement (FIG. 13). Continued movement of the door 14 then causes the link 41 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot pin 43 until the door 14 again moves into a flush position within the doorway opening 13.

As has been previously noted, the specific construction of the linkage assembly 37 which has been described in detail, is substantially the same as the linkage assemblies 33-, 39 and 41. That is, each of these assemblies comprise first and second links that are pivotally connected together at one of their ends. One of the links is afiixed at its other end to a respective one of the operating rods 49 and 62 with the other link being pivotally connected to a respective one of the guide members or rollers.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is clain ed is:

1. A support structure for moving a door of substantial thickness relative to a doorway opening, said support structure comprising roller means, said roller means being positioned relative to the doorway opening by means of a track upon which said roller means glides, said roller means being positioned at a fixed lateral distance with respect to the doorway opening by the track, a first link, said first link having a pivotal connection at one end thereof to the door, and a second link, said second link being pivotally connected at one end thereof to the other end of said first link, the other end of said second link being pivotally connected to said roller means, said first link being disposed in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the door when the door is in its closed position for precluding accidental opening of the door, pivotal movement of said links with respect to each other, with respect to said roller means and with respect to the door being operative to move the door from a substantially flush position Within the doonway opening to a displaced position spaced outwardly therefrom, said displaced position lying a greater lateral distance from the track than in the lateral distance between the doorway opening and said first support means.

2. A plug door structure for a railway car adapted to be positioned within a doorway opening of the railway car comprising a pair of operating rods pivotally sup ported upon said door, a first pair of links rigidly connected at one of their respective ends to a respective one of said operating rods, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one of their respective ends to the other end of a respective one of said first pair of links, a pair of guide structures, said guide structures being adapted to e slidably supported upon a track structure relative to the doorway opening, and means pivotally connecting the other ends of each of said second pair of links to a respective one of said guide structures.

3. A door structure as set forth in claim 2 further including interengaging abutment means upon at least one pair of interconnected links, said abutment means being engageable upon a predetermined degree of pivotal movement in one direction of said one pair of interconnected links about the pivotal connection between said one pair of interconnected links, said engagement of said abutment means being effective to cause said one pair of interconnected links to rotate as a unit about the pivotal connection of the second of said links to said guide structure.

'4. A door structure as set forth in claim 3 further ineludin second abutment means on the one pair of interconnected links, said second abutment means being engagea'ble upon a predetermined degree of pivotal movement of said interconnected links about their pivotal interconnection in the other direction, the engagement of said second abutment means being effective to cause said one pair of interconnected links to rotate as a unit in the other direction about the pivotal connection of the second of said one pair of interconec-ted links to said guide structure.

'5. A door structure as set forth in claim 2 further including common actuating means for rotating the operating rods upon the door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,97 1 4/ 1917 Copony 49-218 1,665,384 4/ 1928 Viers et al. 49'249 XR 3,129,469 4/ 1964 Uphues et al. 49220 3,313,066 4/ 1967 Patin 49249 823,065 6/1906 Meyer et al. 49219 KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

